Thinking of going 6.5 PRC thoughts

[yorke-1]

Look I assume you are an adult like the rest of us and as such should be able to share information without trying to pick fights or prove what a internet genius tough guy you are.

Give it a shot.

It wasn't picking a fight, just presenting information that would be useful to those interested in buying or building a 6.5 PRC. It doesn't take an internet genius to find that information though, just 2 minutes on Midway or simple first hand experience in sourcing 6.5 PRC components which is where I personally got the information.

The PRC, SAUM, SS and 6.5x284 will all give performance similar enough that they may as well be interchangeable when shot in similar platforms. Pick your budget or your brand loyalty and go for it.

 

[WildRose]

Probably won't get 3000 based off research other guys are doing from a 6.5 PRC Shooters Facebook group:

""""Update: 143 factory ammo velocity 2817 fps average over 20 rounds

147 Factory ammo 2790 FPS average for 20 rounds

130 Berger hand load 59 GN h1000 2960 fps

Barrel length 17.25"""""

This is from a guy, John Hakes. He builds rifles, he's also testing new brass, if you have Facebook highly recommend joining this group, as well as George Gardner's 6.5 group, since you're getting a Prc guys love to share their discovers on loads. Bottom line, I think you'll still be pretty happy with the efficiency of the case even if you don't reach 3000.

That pretty well parallels what I've seen. I got real excited about the possibilities when they first started talking about it hitting the 3,000-3,100fps with 140's early on but it just doesn't seem to be panning out in the real world.

I still can't help but think in the back of my mind that 3,250fps is ideal but in the real world if you can get a consistent 2,800-2,900 out of a high BC bullet you've got all you'll ever need for 90% of hunters needs.

 

[Buck Buster]

I'm sure that some people feel that a barrel burner isn't something to avoid but I have burned out a barrel in a 22-250 in only one prairie dog outing that lasted 4 days. To me that was a big deal and by the time I would have had to surrender my rifle to a gunsmith for several months to get another barrel put on and spent the money to pay him and then go through load development all over again with a new barrel just to get back to where I was before 4 days of shooting at prairie dogs just soured me completely on barrel burners.

I've burned out several other barrels namely in a 30-378, two 243's, and another 22-250. I just sold the rifles after warning the buyers that there was significant throat erosion.

It's not just the money. I has a lot to do with frustration and time for me because I still work and I do a lot of target shooting and hunting of different types and I really can't be bothered with rifles that are "high maintenance". I prefer a rifle that rests in my gun safe and is ready at a moment's notice to go hunting or target shooting without me needing to keep bore scoping it and to keep checking my accuracy because I might have burned the barrel.

I have some rifles that have served me well for over 20 years with no more trouble than cleaning and buying or reloading more ammo and if I'm reloading I can just duplicate my old trusted load(s) I developed years ago without starting new load development which I simply don't have the time for.

Just one man's opinion and not represented as anything more than that and I suggest that anyone that loses their temper here should take their ****ing matches to PM's because I'm certainly not the only one that doesn't want to see them.

You stated that you have some rifles doing well after 20 years, When I was just a young hunter in my teens I lost a couple of deer due to not having enough gun, a 222, I killed some with it and yes some of the shots probably weren't placed exactly where they should have been. But the bigger guns with the same shot placement would have resulted in a dead deer. So my fathers and two brothers bought me a 30-06 for Christmas when I was 15, I am now 66 years old and still have that gun and still use that gun and that same gun still shoots well after 51 years ! Remington model 700 BDL ! Will serve me I believe the rest of my years.

 

[WildRose]

You stated that you have some rifles doing well after 20 years, When I was just a young hunter in my teens I lost a couple of deer due to not having enough gun, a 222, I killed some with it and yes some of the shots probably weren't placed exactly where they should have been. But the bigger guns with the same shot placement would have resulted in a dead deer. So my fathers and two brothers bought me a 30-06 for Christmas when I was 15, I am now 66 years old and still have that gun and still use that gun and that same gun still shoots well after 51 years ! Remington model 700 BDL ! Will serve me I believe the rest of my years.

I still have my dad's old 760 pump 30-06 as well and it's still a killer. He got it in I think 1950 for Christmas.

 

[Buck Buster]

I still have my dad's old 760 pump 30-06 as well and it's still a killer. He got it in I think 1950 for Christmas.

Great ! That's got to bring back memories every time you pick it up ,or even think about it. They last a long time if you take good care of them and only use them for hunting. When I carry the 06 they bought me, great memories of hunts with my father and family are nearly constant while I am on a deer watch ! That is reason enough for me to carry it. I am sure that is true with you also, may pleasant memories be yours.

 

[WildRose]

Great ! That's got to bring back memories every time you pick it up ,or even think about it. They last a long time if you take good care of them and only use them for hunting. When I carry the 06 they bought me, great memories of hunts with my father and family are nearly constant while I am on a deer watch ! That is reason enough for me to carry it. I am sure that is true with you also, may pleasant memories be yours.

Exactly. Unfortunately my old 740 .243 semi auto I killed my first Antelope with suffered a catastrophic failure in the late eighties but that 760 will still be a game killer generations from now for anyone that wants to use it.

It's take everything from Wild Boar and truckloads of deer in Texas to bears in AK, CO, and NM, along with CO Elk and Deer.

The accuracy and longevity of that particular model are still astounding particularly considering it's a pump.

 

[Buck Buster]

Exactly. Unfortunately my old 740 .243 semi auto I killed my first Antelope with suffered a catastrophic failure in the late eighties but that 760 will still be a game killer generations from now for anyone that wants to use it.

It's take everything from Wild Boar and truckloads of deer in Texas to bears in AK, CO, and NM, along with CO Elk and Deer.

The accuracy and longevity of that particular model are still astounding particularly considering it's a pump.

Sorry to hear about your 740 .243. I also had a 760 pump chambered for the 270, bought it used and it has always been very accurate. I gave it to my grandson who didn't have his own deer rifle, with the understanding it stays in the family, he loves it ! I gave it to him on my 65th birthday, I think he will also have great memories of me and of our hunts together every time he uses that gun. Good hunting and shooting Wildrose , and thanks for sharing your comments about having one of your fathers favorite guns.

 

[WildRose]

Sorry to hear about your 740 .243. I also had a 760 pump chambered for the 270, bought it used and it has always been very accurate. I gave it to my grandson who didn't have his own deer rifle, with the understanding it stays in the family, he loves it ! I gave it to him on my 65th birthday, I think he will also have great memories of me and of our hunts together every time he uses that gun. Good hunting and shooting Wildrose , and thanks for sharing your comments about having one of your fathers favorite guns.

It was typical of Remington in the 70's, they decided to go cheap on the recievers milling them out of weak/inferior metal and too thin to keep from expanding when cycling. The bolts would then slip the tracks bowing the receivers and shredding themselves.

Remington could ruin a gold brick.

 

[Jerry M]

So to summarize 14 pages so far:

6.5 PRC is a magnum case without a belt;
has factory (only hornady currently) ammo available;
needs a true medium to long action like the 6.5x284 to load heavy bullets successfully;
will not really reach 3,000 fps with 140-142 gr bullets with sane pressures;
has cases available (only hornady currently)

What have I missed?

 

[JTB]

In response to being able to achieve 3000 fps, I have not tested the PRC with a 22" barrel but 57.5gr of Retumbo will push the 150 SMK over 3000 fps using a 26" barrel with no visible pressure signs from my rifle. 3100 is easily obtained from 140gr. Hornady's reloading data chart very closely matches my experience but was able to go an additional 100 fps past the maximum loads using Retumbo with no brass damage or heavy bolt lift. I don't really care about the additional velocity but my best node for 140 class is around 3020. Node for 150 is best at 2980. Pressure signs (ejector marks) present at 3150 using the 150 SMK https://press.hornady.com/assets/site/hornady/files/load-data/6.5-prc-v2.pdf

 

[LDHunter]

So to summarize 14 pages so far:

6.5 PRC is a magnum case without a belt;
has factory (only hornady currently) ammo available;
needs a true medium to long action like the 6.5x284 to load heavy bullets successfully;
will not really reach 3,000 fps with 140-142 gr bullets with sane pressures;
has cases available (only hornady currently)

What have I missed?

I don't think you've missed much but I'd like to add great barrel life to your summary.

I'd like also to point out the elephant in the room regarding velocity. For the people that insist on making a big issue about whether or not this round will make 3000fps let's assume for the sake of this statement that it will actually reach the magical 3100fps.

Using www.shooterscalculator.com I input all the pertinent info for shooting this cartridge and the 143gr Hornady in local conditions here in NW Florida on a summer morning and it becomes obvious that muzzle velocity fades in importance to BC for long range shooting.

At a whopping 100yds the 143gr ELD-X bullet with it's .623BC has already slowed to 2950fps from the 3150fps at the muzzle....

So boys and girls... Just how important is it whether or not this cartridge will make 3000fps at the muzzle in the face of that simple analysis?

I don't own a 6.5PRC YET and I'm not claiming that it's the end all do all cartridge but I'm not sure I've seen one I like better for hunting and long range shooting for medium to large non-dangerous game that has moderate to light recoil, great barrel life, and the availability of good factory ammo.

For those who are already heavily invested in a rifle and equipment for a somewhat similar 6.5mm then more power to you but it never fails that those people will make a lot of noise and go to extremes to magnify potential flaws in the new cartridge. Let's all relax and admit that this cartridge has a lot of potential and when the next big thing comes along let's just all laugh at the naysayers and wait for the following next big thing and all the ones that come after and so on.

At some time we have to jump off the research wagon and take that leap into the certainty that when we invest in the latest next big thing it will also pass into obscurity one day in the not too far off future although I'm betting this one will last longer than a lot of them have in the last 30 years or so....

If I'm wrong I'll be the first to laugh and point out my flawed prediction(s)....

In the meantime I've already emailed my precision rifle smith and he's ready for a deposit to get started on building my first 6.5PRC and he says it's an excellent choice and I'm prone to believe him because he's made his bones shooting at 1000 yards for several years now and should know a little bit.

 

[Michael O'Connor]

Mike pretty sure I'm not illiterate so let's cut the BS. That was during load development I run 140s at 3270 now. It's not a rifle that gets shot a lot anymore. So it should last me another 5-7 years. Barrels don't cost that much anyways. Maybe you're tight with your money but I have enough to buy a barrel every 10-15 years for a hunting rifle. Nothing worse than internet tough guys calling people names. **** off.

I am not an "Internet tough guy", and I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers. We all know that large overbore cases burn throats out real quick. I am sorry if I offended you, Sir. We are all in search of cartridge case and bullet combinations that will serve our needs with efficiency. I don't shoot heavy rifle, so possibly my concerns are the same as yours. Again, my apologies for using wrong verbiage; no offense intended, Sir.

 

[Michael O'Connor]

At 950 rounds I considered my 257 wore out, the accuracy degraded to the point I wasn't going to take it hunting anymore. I've never regretted owning that gun. Just ignore the guys who tell you it's too slow or a barrel burner. The 264 wm is a serious hunting cartridge and this is a hunting forum.

 

[Michael O'Connor]

264 Win. Mag. definitely by bore size is better than 257 "Weatheredby", I don't have a problem with 1/4 bores, but they have no following of manufacturers to design a high B.C. bullet to install in efficient cases with the new powders.